Traction control affecting fuel economy

[Tycho]

A colleague has been told by his mechanic that turning off TC will improve fuel economy. Now I think that this is complete bks and couldn't impact fuel economy at all unless TC is malfunctioning but he won't believe me.

Can you guys (and gals) help me convince him that the mechanic as utterly wrong?

[odyssey2200]

Tycho said:

A colleague has been told by his mechanic that turning off TC will improve fuel economy. Now I think that this is complete bks and couldn't impact fuel economy at all unless TC is malfunctioning but he won't believe me.

Can you guys (and gals) help me convince him that the mechanic as utterly wrong?

99% of the time your traction control is doing sweet FA so will not effect fuel economy.

When TC cuts in it limits the revs and stops the wheels loosing traction and the engine revving.

It would possibly be more reasonable to say thet having TC stop the engine revving is improving fuel economy but in reality your friend is deluded if he thinks that there will be any measureable difference in fuel consumption either way.

[Tycho]

odyssey2200 said:

Tycho said:

A colleague has been told by his mechanic that turning off TC will improve fuel economy. Now I think that this is complete bks and couldn't impact fuel economy at all unless TC is malfunctioning but he won't believe me.

Can you guys (and gals) help me convince him that the mechanic as utterly wrong?

99% of the time your traction control is doing sweet FA so will not effect fuel economy.

When TC cuts in it limits the revs and stops the wheels loosing traction and the engine revving.

It would possibly be more reasonable to say thet having TC stop the engine revving is improving fuel economy but in reality your friend is deluded if he thinks that there will be any measureable difference in fuel consumption either way.

That's what I said, similar to turning the radio off in terms of savings at the very most. Unfortunately I think this is going to be an uphill battle as it is difficult to prove a negative.

Edited by Tycho on Tuesday 14th April 18:21

[mechsympathy]

Tycho said:

Unfortunately I think this is going to be an uphill battle as it is difficult to prove a negative.

Ask him how he supposes it might affect economy. (And "the spanner-monkey told me" isn't an acceptable answer)

[odyssey2200]

you sure he wasn't talking about air con?

[jimmy306]

Totally ready to be corrected here but... if some traction control systems work by applying the brakes to a wheel that is about to spin, thus reducing momentum, surely this will have a negative (maybe negligible to be fair) effect on economy.

James

[odyssey2200]

jimmy306 said:

Totally ready to be corrected here but... if some traction control systems work by applying the brakes to a wheel that is about to spin, thus reducing momentum, surely this will have a negative (maybe negligible to be fair) effect on economy.

James

Had the TC not acted and reduced momentum, the wheels would have lost traction and the car may have lost momentum any way, if not worse if the car spun or crashed.

For 99.9999% of the time its all going to add up to two thirds of fk all MPG difference.

[VxDuncan]

jimmy306 said:

Totally ready to be corrected here but... if some traction control systems work by applying the brakes to a wheel that is about to spin, thus reducing momentum, surely this will have a negative (maybe negligible to be fair) effect on economy.

James

You're getting stability control and traction control mixed up - TC will simply be monitoring wheel speed sensors and cutting engine power as required to keep them all even. stability control will act on the wheels by breaking.

[jaik]

It was definitely traction control and not cruise control, right? Not questioning you, more the person who would think turning off TC would improve fuel economy.

[jhcolley]

Depends what type of TC and how its cutting in. Some TC uses the brakes and a lot of systems which cut engine power do it by cutting spark or retarding it, either way they result in less energy being released from a given quantity of fuel. This could be seen as being less efficient as the engine is making less power from a given amount of fuel, but if the alternative is spinning the wheels I doubt it would reduce the mpg, as the energy from the fuel wouldn't be used to make you go forwards. I also doubt that TC puts a huge amount of strain on the electrical system, so wouldn't require more energy that way.

Some systems (v expensive Ducati road bikes)cut fuel to the engine, which may help your fuel economy slightly. But not that you'd notice it.

Like has been said, probably makes no noticeable difference.

[parapaul]

jaik said:

It was definitely traction control and not cruise control, right? Not questioning you, more the person who would think turning off TC would improve fuel economy.

I think this is far more likely.... Cruise control can allegedly make a slight difference to mpg. Never seen it myself, but the doubters will have their say

[Tycho]

jaik said:

It was definitely traction control and not cruise control, right? Not questioning you, more the person who would think turning off TC would improve fuel economy.

That's what my colleague said the mechanic told him. Personally I think that the mechanic meant air con but even that would only make about 1 mpg difference at best I would think.

[stackmonkey]

Just tell you mate that driving hard and fast enough to trigger the traction control will have far more of an effect that the traction control itself.

[Superhoop]

Tycho said:

jaik said:

It was definitely traction control and not cruise control, right? Not questioning you, more the person who would think turning off TC would improve fuel economy.

That's what my colleague said the mechanic told him. Personally I think that the mechanic meant air con but even that would only make about 1 mpg difference at best I would think.

Surely it doesn't really matter? If you're driving to a point where TC is required, you're hardly worrying about fuel economy anyway, as it only operates when you're giving it some.

Besides which, how would you ever prove it? again, if you were driving hard enough for the TC to operate, but had it switched off, then you'd be sat there spinning the wheels, and just wasting fuel.

Sounds like a load of bks to me

Most TC systems only operate when pulling away too (whether they use brakes, which most don't, or just cut fuel/retard ignition.

[GAcrank]

If Traction Control has no effect on gas milage, why do vehicles have a switch for it? Seems like a political CYA to me.

[Richyvrlimited]

It has a switch so you can turn it off

[motco]

How many times does TC operate in day to day driving? Virtually never.
If it's not day to day driving but 'enthusiastic' and 'making progress' driving. In which case economy is low on your priorities.

[Super Sonic]

You should tell him he'll save more petrol by folding the rear seatbacks!